Joliestar is officially back on Australian soil, and Chris Waller already has a clear plan to give his star mare the best chance of landing a third consecutive start in The Everest.
Fresh from an outstanding campaign at Royal Ascot, the Group 1-winning sprinter will return to Waller’s Rosehill stable this week before beginning preparations for another tilt at the world’s richest turf race.
Joliestar Returns Home After Royal Ascot
Joliestar enhanced her reputation on the international stage when she finished a narrow third in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.
Following her overseas campaign, the mare completed the mandatory quarantine period and is now set to rejoin Waller’s team as attention turns to the Sydney spring carnival.
Her overseas performance further strengthened the belief that she can be a major player in The Everest after already contesting the race in each of the past two years.
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Waller Has Clear Everest Plan
Waller has previously outlined the program he believes gives Joliestar the best opportunity to peak on Everest Day.
“I’d be pushing to go to The Shorts first-up and then a month between runs into The Everest,” Waller said.
“She runs so well fresh.”
The Group 2 Shorts (1100m) at Randwick has become a proven lead-up to The Everest, allowing elite sprinters to resume before having four weeks between runs into the $20 million feature.
Chasing a Third Straight Everest Appearance
Joliestar has become one of the most consistent performers in Australia’s premier sprint.
She finished seventh behind Bella Nipotina in the 2024 edition before improving to fifth behind Hong Kong champion Ka Ying Rising last year. Waller believes the mare has continued to mature physically and mentally, giving her every chance of producing her best Everest performance this spring.
While Ka Ying Rising remains the benchmark among the world’s sprinters, Waller has made it clear he isn’t preparing his mare with one rival in mind.
“You can’t be afraid of one horse,” Waller said when discussing the Everest favourite earlier this month.
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Everest Picture Beginning to Take Shape
Joliestar’s return comes as the race for Everest slots begins to intensify.
Several leading sprinters, including Overpass, are also back in Australia after competing at Royal Ascot, while a host of local stars are preparing to launch their spring campaigns over the coming weeks.
For Waller, however, the immediate priority is ensuring Joliestar settles back into her familiar surroundings before gradually building towards another crack at Australia’s richest sprint.
If she can reproduce the form she displayed in England, the five-year-old shapes as one of the leading contenders to finally break through in The Everest.
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